Parents 'must take blame for unruly children'

Published on Friday 16 May 2008 21:48

PARENTS must stop blaming teachers for the ills of society and take responsibility for the behaviour of their children, a senior educationalist has said.

Anne Ballinger, president of the Scottish Secondary Teachers' Association (SSTA), warned that parents were increasingly unwilling to accept culpability for the poor behaviour of youngsters.

Speaking at the SSTA annual congress yesterday, she said: "An increasing amount of time is taken up in schools dealing with pupils who assert their rights, and their parents who demand action against teachers depriving their little angel of his rights.

"At the same time, some local authorities are giving in to the 'I have rights' argument and instructing schools not to confront the problem but to appease complaining pupils."

She defended the right of parents to complain but said there was a growing number who consistently complain monthly about the same teachers.

She said: "The child ends up moving from school to school consistently complaining about each one.

"And when the investigation into a complaint finds no evidence, they complain to higher up in the local authority until the same alleged issue is investigated several times.

"It is very stressful for the teachers involved."

She called on councils to give teachers more backing and for some kind of penalty for parents who make consistent malicious complaints.

She said: "Teachers do not have sole responsibility for the education of young people about either rights or responsibilities.

"Prime responsibility lies with parents and with wider society. Parents have a duty to provide their children with a moral code, of which this is only one small part, and society has a responsibility to provide examples of good behaviour."

Sue Palmer, an expert in child development and author of the book Toxic Childhood, said teachers were not as respected as they once were.

And she said consumer culture had taught both parents and children they had rights, but had not reinforced the accompanying responsibilities.

She said: "All the research shows that parents have to set firm boundaries. If they don't do that, it is very difficult for schools because teachers then have to build boundaries and deal with the rights of each child."

David Eaglesham, general secretary of the SSTA confirmed it was a growing problem. He said: "If children are allowed to go through life constantly blaming others then it will all come crashing down eventually."